It’s 50 years since a grocery store chain opened its first petrol station – proudly describing the pumps as “space-age”.
On the brand new Sainsbury’s forecourt in Coldham’s Lane , Cambridge, the unbranded four-star petrol was 68p a gallon, or 15p a litre. That equates to £1.14 a litre now.
Sainsbury’s had deliberate to open it on 3 December 1974, when it unveiled its first retailer on the outskirts of a longtime metropolis, however delays manufacturing the pumps pushed the launch again to 10 January 1975.
Drivers “generally confronted a 10-minute wait because the digital fee system struggled to maintain up with the excessive demand”, in accordance with George Cooban, from the Sainsbury Archive.
Sainsbury’s stated the six pumps on the on-site, self-service petrol station had been “space-age”, including that “in contrast to most service stations” clients might pay “with out getting out of a automotive”.
The grocery store chain had had a department within the centre of the college metropolis since 1925, however was eager to develop.
Its preliminary planning software to construct at Coldham’s Lane was turned down by Cambridge Metropolis Council, however Sainsbury’s gained on enchantment.
Assistant archivist Mr Cooban, who relies on the Sainsbury Archive at London Museum Docklands, stated lengthy queues appeared exterior the department when it was opened in December.
“Some wished to get forward with their Christmas procuring,” he stated.
“There have been nationwide shortages of sure staple meals on the time so ‘bread hunters and sugar-seekers’ contributed to the excessive footfall as properly.”
The automotive park had 376 areas, which stuffed inside minutes on the opening day.
Mr Cooban stated: “The scale of the shop allowed Sainsbury’s to experiment with non-food merchandise it had not offered earlier than, together with electrical items, kitchenware, family linens, cosmetics, stationery and even gardening and DIY instruments.”
On opening, it was the chain’s fourth largest department, with a gross sales space of two,271sq m (24,000sq ft), and a freezer centre subsequent door.
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, 2025-01-05 05:48:00